World no. 1 Jannik Sinner prevailed in the Wimbledon second round against a tricky opponent on Centre Court! Jannik faced the former Wimbledon finalist and his compatriot Matteo Berrettini and scored a tight 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 victory in three hours and 42 minutes.
As the result suggests, it was a tight battle with three tie breaks. Jannik notched nine mini-breaks and brought them home, sealing the deal ahead of the decider and avoiding returning to the court on Friday. Sinner remained perfect against the Italian rivals, moving into the third round and notching his 14th Major victory of the season.
Jannik played better behind the first and second serve. He lost serve four times, two times in the third set when he lost the ground. Matteo faced ten break points and defended eight, mainly with powerful serves. However, it was not enough to keep him in touch until the decider, leading 4-2 in the second set and 2-1 in the fourth but squandering the advantage.
Berrettini fired 28 aces and rushed to the net 50 times. The more experienced Italian cracked 65 winners and 48 unforced errors, leaving world no.
1 on a 32-25 ratio. In the end, it all came to three tie breaks and nine mini-breaks on Jannik's tally, playing better in the decisive moments and moving into the last 32. Sinner had the upper hand in the opening set, dropping seven points in his games and keeping the pressure on the other side.
Berrettini denied a set point in the tenth game before dropping the tie break 7-3. Jannik clinched the first game of the encounter with an ace, and Matteo responded with a serve & volley combo in the next one for 1-1. World no.
1 held at love in the fifth game and grabbed two points on the return in the next one before Berrettini closed it with a volley winner at the net for 3-3. Jannik produced another fine hold in the seventh game and moved 5-4 in front with a forced error, keeping the pressure on his opponent.
Jannik Sinner prevailed over Matteo Berrettini in four tight sets.
Matteo served to stay in the set in game ten and faced the first issues behind the initial shot.
Sinner drew Berrettini's mistake and faced a set point. The older Italian saved it with a crafty volley winner and landed an ace for 5-5 and more drama. The set went into a tie break, and it started with two mini-breaks. Berrettini sprayed two forehand mistakes on serve, falling 5-2 behind and allowing Sinner to wrap up the breaker 7-3 after 50 minutes.
Matteo survived deuces at the beginning of the second set and faced two break points at 1-1 after missing a routine forehand. The former finalist denied them with winners and closed the game to remain on the positive side. Berrettini attacked on the return in the sixth game and landed a volley winner for a break point.
He missed a forehand and denied Sinner's game point before converting the second break chance after world no. 1's drop shot error.
Matteo squandered a game point for a 5-2 lead and lost serve in the seventh game, bringing Jannik back to the positive side.
Berrettini faced more issues behind the initial shot in the ninth game, offering Sinner two break points. Matteo denied them and wrapped up the game with a smash winner. They served well in the remaining games and introduced the second tie break.
Jannik started it with a mini-break and forged a 4-1 lead after Matteo's forehand error. Sinner forced Berrettini's mistake in the 11th point, clinching the tie break 7-4 and building a massive advantage after two hours and two minutes.
Matteo played better in the third set, delivering two breaks and reducing the overall deficit. Jannik played a loose forehand in the first game, losing serve and falling behind. Berrettini saved a break point in the second game and confirmed the advantage before making another push on the return at 3-1.
The older Italian attacked and clinched his second break with a winner at the net, forging a massive advantage and closing the set with a powerful serve at 5-2 to prolong the battle.
Matteo stayed focused on the return and secured a break in the third game of the fourth set, hoping for a complete comeback. However, Sinner pulled the break back in the next game, returning to the positive side. They served well in the next seven games, and Jannik held from 15-30 in the 11th game for a 6-5 advantage.
Berrettini served to stay in the match for the second time in the 12th game and experienced a match point after a double fault. Matteo denied it with a service winner and held for 6-6 and another tie break. Sinner opened a 3-2 lead with a volley winner and earned a mini-break in the next one after Berrettini's terrible forehand.
Jannik won two points on serve for 6-3 and three match points. He converted the second with a deep return, sealing the deal and beating his great friend.
